Chapter 43: Chapter 43 – The [Lady]

For the first time in her life, Fayette beheld a [Lady] from up close and really looked.

She felt disappointed.

Her first, instinctive impression of the woman had been one of grandeur, blue eyes and blond hair, like straight out of the stories. But on closer inspection, those bits of grandeur slowly but surely dripped away. Her garments may have been fancy, but they were in a mess. Her dress was quite rumpled and fit the woman awkwardly as if it had been tied up all wrong.

Her makeup and hair were also in a slight state of chaos as if done by unpractised hands. Fayette felt her instinctive disapproval bristle at the woman’s lacking state, especially due to the class she felt her emanating. This isn’t a proper look for a [Lady]! Not at all!

She felt that familiar urge to fix, to clean, and make orderly! But held back her twitching hands, barely. This was no time for such.

The [Lady] had stood silent and blinking for a few heartbeats after opening the door, staring at... her? Then she finally managed a greeting. “Well, hello. Is there something I can do for you all?”

Fayette almost began to curtsey but flinched back at the instinct. Hey! I’m a free [Maid], and she’s supposed to be a [Governess]! No curtseying! She was wary of interacting too closely with a Noble, especially as the throb in her class felt clearer. She poked Mireille to the side. You go deal with this.

The [Seamstress] stepped forward and gave the woman a curt nod. “Miss Adrienne, I presume? We saw your request at the hunter’s guild and came to offer our services.”

The [Lady’s] eyes brightened, and her tone brightened with it. “Really? Perfect—I was beginning to get worried no one would take the request.” She eyed their group, an investigative gleam to her eye. “You three are hunters then? An unusual group for sure then, I haven’t seen others like you before. Why—”

She paused for a second, then gasped, and shuffled sideways to open up the doorway. “Pardon me! May I invite you inside? I’m afraid there’s no tea to serve.”

Fayette started to follow the woman inside the room but couldn’t hold her tongue. The woman was really not fitting into her supposed role. “So, you’re a [Governess] then?”

The [Lady] missed a step, just for a moment, but regained her balance right away, continuing as if nothing had happened. She turned and made a terse smile. “Ah, of course, I am, yes. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Fayette just smiled and nodded, then followed the woman into her suite’s tea-room.

The place... wasn’t in the best state either. An open luggage bag laid against the room’s back, and its contents were strewn all around it with no order to them at all. Dresses, food rations, papers, all on the floor in a messy heap. There seemed to have been some hasty attempts to stuff them back in, but the job had been left halfway done, which somehow made it even worse. Fayette's fingers twitched more.

“Um, excuse the mess.” The [Lady] said, pulling back a seat at the room’s table. “Please sit down, let us discuss things.”

Fayette moved a stray shoe with her foot, then took out the chair it had been blocking and sat down. Her companions did the same.

“So, just to confirm—” Mireille began. “—you want us to guard you on your journey to Arreau, correct?”

“Correct.”

“Then, for the caravan you intend to travel with—”

Not one for business talk, Fayette zoned out once Mireille and the miss got into discussing practical matters. Olivia was already covertly having a drink, not one for the conversation either, but Fayette focused on something more poignant—observing the woman seated in front of her.

A Noble.

Her recent experiences with Nobles were a bit mixed, to put things lightly. The last two she had met personally had been slain by her hand, and the whole reason for getting this mission was avoiding the notice of another. Huh, when I think of it like that, it seems I really haven’t been getting along well with nobles. I wonder why? They really should stop bothering me.

Still, whenever she had been in one’s presence, she had felt that some part of her class still clung to that higher power. She understood it in a way—a [Maid] was supposed to be a servant after all, and a noble was the epitome of a master. How could a [Maid] run around unbound? Well, she was going to find out how.

In front of her, she saw a new object of study. What was a Noble, really? Did a [Maid] need one? What did she really think of them?

So far, taking up a new use for her broom, she had met two Nobles, and killed two nobles. Not the best record. Still, she wasn’t going to condemn them all, yet at least. If there were no nobles, who would run the household?

Two strikes against nobles, and now she was meeting her third. Isn’t that how that one queer colonial game goes? Three strikes and you are out, or some such?

How would the woman in front of her end up?

Despite her unkempt appearance, the [Lady] still had a shine to her. Her skin shone with perfect health, and even in a bedraggled state, her blond, angled hair managed to evoke a sense of harmony as it ran down her face. Fayette almost felt it was unfair.

Dressed in haphazard makeup and clothing, why did she still seem like she stood above her?

Maybe it was her manner. As a [Maid], Fayette was quite practiced at guarding her face, making sure she never looked inappropriate. The difference with this [lady], however, was that she seemed to always look appropriate.

It was a small change, but the gap it opened was high as a mountain. Simply keeping your face neutral and pleasant was one thing, but being able to shift between sympathy, attentiveness and a charming smile whenever appropriate was in a league of its own. Is that what [Lady] skills do? Make you able to smile well?

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It felt like she had been staring at the woman’s face for scarcely a minute, but soon Mireille was rising from her seat, and Fayette snapped back to the moment.

“Thank you for the offer, I’ll consult my teammates on it, then we’ll decide whether to take it on.” Mireille said, motioning for Fayette to rise as well.

“Of course, of course, feel free,” The [Lady] answered, waving them away as if she didn’t doubt their acceptance one bit.

Fayette silently followed Olivia and Mireille out, and they stayed silent until they were out of the room and down a staircase.

“Fay, do you think we’re far enough yet?” Mireille asked.

“Maybe. I doubt she would be able to listen in from here.”

“Oh, you noticed too?” Olivia asked, looking between the [Maid] and the [Seamstress]. “That we are dealing with no ordinary [Governess].”

All three nodded together. “A [Lady].”

Mireille sighed. “So, what do you think is the case? A runaway [Lady], escaping a bad marriage? Isn’t that the usual bit?”

Olivia crossed her hands and leaned back against the corridor wall. “Doesn’t have her family’s support, that’s for sure. No servants or guards to watch after her, but she’s still reasonably well equipped.”

“Not practiced at doing things herself,” Fayette added. “Probably a rather wealthy family. Used to always having a [Maid] to deal with things. Having trouble managing now.”

“In short: troublesome.” Mireille said. The [Seamstress] narrowed her eyes, and looked at Fayette and Olivia. “Be honest you two, did you listen to my negotiations at all?”

“Nope.”

“Not one bit.”

The [Seamstress] visibly drooped down. “...Right. As expected, really. Well, the money is good, and we would get a spot on that caravan ride. Only problem is—”

“—Whatever she’s running away from.” Olivia finished. She looked up the stairs, and nodded her head that way. “Marriage runaway would be alright—low danger. However, if it’s a more serious conspiracy, we could end up under real threat.”

“I didn’t really get that feeling off her,” Mireille said. “She seemed too carefree for that.”

Fayette scoffed. “She’s a [Lady]. You saw how she talked. You’re feeling how she wants you to feel. She was a complete mess and I still somehow feel a bit endeared by it all, like you feel seeing a pitiful bird lost from its nest. Don’t trust your instincts too much here, don’t get charmed. Keep a clear head.”

Mireille looked surprised. “Do you think there is some danger here then? What do you think, Fay?”

Fayette motioned for her to wait a moment and closed her eyes. What did she want here? Honestly, she couldn’t help feeling like this was an opportunity—she was curious.

At the moment, there was something off—unbalanced about her class. She felt it whenever she was in the presence of a powerful noble, and it had been very annoying and inconvenient. She didn’t want it to continue. Whatever is going on here, I want to find out what it is, and fix it.

Would she get a better chance than this? This [Lady] Adrienne, or whatever her real name was, was alone, away from any dangerous retinues and family. Fayette really doubted the [Lady] would be able to achieve any ill designs on her, especially as their group had her quite outnumbered. Wasn’t this a prime opportunity to poke and prod, to test things out?

I have to take this chance. Where will I get a better, safer, more controlled opportunity to closely examine a noble, no, a [Lady]? It was time to become a [Researcher].

She opened her eyes. “I think we should take this job. Sure, there might be some risk involved, but I trust we can handle ourselves. Let’s do it. Mireille?”

“The money is good,” the [Seamstress] said. “I am in if you are. Olivia?”

“No opposition. No point worrying too much. I don’t think the chance we’ll get ambushed and captured is too high.”

Fayette nodded. “Alright then, it’s settled. Let’s do this.”

The three turned to walk back up the stairs, and Fayette made a vow to herself.

You just wait, Miss Adrianne or whatever. I’ll get a good look and see what this noble business is all about.

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